A local court Saturday (today) issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Mansoor the prime suspect of Baldia Town factory fire case.
Session Court West heard the case amid tight security arrangements today. Rangers’ law officer, member of investigation committee Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sajid Sadozai, lawyers of factory owners and lawyer of a local NGO were present in the court.
In the hearing of the case, the Sindh government presented a two-page report before the court.
Special Public Prosecutor Sajid Mehboob Sheikh informed the court that a copy of the Joint Investigation Team has been received, to which the court responded that the JIT wasn’t called for and asked what other measures have been taken in the investigation.
The prosecutor responded that a new investigation officer Islam Gul had been assigned to the case and the statements from witnesses have been recorded.
Former investigation officer Sajid Sudozai said that his predecessor Inspector Jahanzaib had been given a show-cause notice for poor performance.
He also said that a team has been formed to arrest the fugitive Mansoor.
The court remarked that the provincial government is not serious in Baldia factory fire case as the matter has lingered on since 2012.
Subsequently, the case hearing was adjourned till July 16.
A garments factory in Baldia Town had caught fire on September 11, 2012, claiming around 259 lives while at least 600 were injured. Rangers had claimed that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was behind the incident. A report presented in the Sindh High Court (SHC) claimed that a high official of the party had demanded extortion money from the owners of the factory.
The joint investigation team’s (JIT) report stated that Rs 200 million was demanded from the owners while Rehman Bhola, Hammad Siddique and Zubair among eight were involved in setting the factory on fire. The JIT members had demanded inclusion of anti-terror acts in the case. The JIT also proposed to nullify passports of the fugitives and to put them on Exit Control List (ECL).